A White Heart for Black
by Vaedana
Summary: It's Sirius Black's seventh year at Hogwarts. There's a new transfer student-a Muggle. Dumbledore's idea to begin the slow process of blending cultures. Sirius knew it would be an interesting year, but he didn't count on it being a year that would change him forever.
1. AWHFB Chapter One

Sirius Black glanced out the window of the rolling carriage before leaning against the cushioned back of the comfortable bench seat. Next to him, James Potter was pulling the wriggling legs off of a chocolate frog and popping them in his mouth with relish. Across from James, Peter Pettigrew watched him with slightly horrified awe. Sirius rolled his eyes and stretched his arms behind his head, clasping his hands behind his neck.

"Do you have to eat it like that?" he asked James, casting him a sideways frown. "Bit sadistic, don't you think?"

"It's just chocolate," James said innocently, a twitching leg dangling from his lips. "You act like I would do this to a real frog."

"Wouldn't put it past you," Remus Lupin mumbled absently from the seat across from Sirius as he turned a page of the Daily Prophet.

"Oh, you're speaking, now," James said mildly, raising his eyebrows as he downed the remains of the chocolate frog. "You've been so quiet, I thought you'd howled your voice away."

Remus grunted, his eyes scanning quickly over the pages.

"What is it you're reading, anyway?" James prodded, leaning forward to try and see over the top of the paper. "You haven't taken your eyes off that paper since we got on the train."

Remus wordlessly turned another page. Peter peered cautiously over his shoulder before offering the others an oblivious shrug. Sirius and James exchanged quick glances before Sirius leaned forward and swiftly plucked the paper from his friend's hands. He leaned back again, ignoring Remus' protests and fending off his reaching grasps with his free hand.

"Now I'm curious," he mumbled, scanning the pages himself.

"Let me see," James said, pulling a handful of the stack of pages into his own lap, separating them sloppily as some of the loose papers drifted to the floor.

Peter snatched these up, pressing his nose to them eagerly as Remus threw up his hands and leaned back in his own seat with a sigh.

"There was talk among the Prefects about there being a new student this year," Remus huffed, watching his friends ravage his paper mercilessly.

"Well, yeah," James said, giving Remus an almost concerned look. "There's new students every year…"

Sirius smirked as Remus rolled his eyes.

"They'll be in our year. Seventh," he replied with forced patience.

His companions looked up with interest and he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, now you want to know?" he asked wryly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Don't be a prat," Sirius said threateningly, holding the papers dangerously close to the open window.

Remus pursed his lips but elaborated.

"It's just been rumors, the professors have been very discreet about the whole thing. But apparently a student will be transferring here for the year."

"Beauxbatons?" Sirius asked with interest.

James shook his head.

"Durmstrang," he said with a sympathetic pat on Sirius' shoulder. "Sorry, buddy. No shagging French girls for you."

"You're both wrong," Remus interrupted. "They're not from any of the local schools. I was hoping there might be an article about it if it's some sort of exchange program, but there's nothing. Not even a mention of it anywhere."

"Guess we'll find out when we get there," James said, straightening the papers he held with a flick as he settled back to read them.

Sirius and Peter lounged in their seats, as well, looking over the articles for interesting reads. Remus watched them all incredulously before giving a sigh of defeat and watching out the window as they drew nearer to the castle.

oOoOo

Aliyah White gazed up at the same castle, her sky-blue eyes wide with astonishment at the impressive sight. Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was bathed in the bright light of the three-quarter moon overhead. For a long moment she was unable to move, her breath stolen by the magical scene. A throat was cleared behind her and she turned to see the Headmaster of the school, Professor Dumbledore, watching her with a knowing smile as he politely waited for her to step down from the carriage. A wide grin broke across her face and she hopped down to the dirt road, moving closer to the castle with almost cautious steps. She heard the rustle of the professor's robes as he exited the carriage behind her. She turned to stare at him with newfound respect as the truth of what he'd told her seemed to hit her all over again.

When the counselor of her own school had spoken to her about a student exchange program, she had been thrilled to learn that the participating school would be in London. However, nothing could've prepared her for this, a school of magic. In all her seventeen years of life, she had never believed magic might actually exist. She had dreamed, of course, but being tossed into a world full of it was certainly a life changer. She wondered how it would be to return to her old life in Connecticut after knowing what was out there. And she had only seen a sliver of it.

Professor Dumbledore moved to stand next to her and clasped his hands behind his back, peering fondly up at the castle.

"It's quite magnificent, isn't it?" he asked proudly.

"It is," she agreed, tucking a long strand of light blonde hair behind her ear as she followed his gaze across the stunning towers.

"Even in our world of magic, this place remains a wonder to us all." He lowered his eyes to smile down at her. "Shall we go inside?"

"Yeah, of course," she said quickly, gesturing for the professor to lead the way.

She gave the castle one last admiring glance and followed him up the drive toward the enormous front doors, the flutters in her stomach picking up speed.

oOoOo

Sirius climbed out of the carriage, followed by his friends. He took a moment to stretch his limbs, feeling cramped after the hours on the train and then the ride in the carriage. He swept his long hair out of his face and turned to see James laughing at him. His friend grabbed a lock of his hair and tugged on it, shaking his head.

"Letting it grow a bit longer than normal, aren't you?" he chuckled as they climbed the stairs with the other chattering students.

"Leave it alone, I like it," Sirius objected.

He ran his fingers expertly through his hair, catching the eye of a passing girl a few years under him and earning a shy smile from her. Sirius winked at her before flashing a grin at James.

"Yeah, yeah," James said with a laugh, shoving his friend's shoulder. "You made your point."

Sirius followed the crowd through the oak front doors and into the Great Hall, taking his usual seat at the end of the Gryffindor table with his companions. Around them, the other students loudly went from table to table, greeting friends they hadn't seen since the last term before settling down at their own tables. Sirius looked up as Lily Evans came up behind James and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, you," she said sweetly, resting her chin on his shoulder as he grinned widely at her.

Sirius rolled his eyes and Lily looked over at him with a huff and a frown.

"Still on that, are you?" she asked dryly. "When are you going to get over your phobia of relationships?"

"When you shave your head bald, how's that?" he asked irritably, picking up a golden knife and twirling it between his fingers.

"Don't worry," James told her, shifting to the side so she could sit next to him. "He'll grow out of it one day. Maybe when he's a big boy, he'll even stop pretending to throw up when we hold hands."

The knife Sirius held up threateningly was plucked out of his hand from behind by Remus.

"Lily and I won't be joining you," he told them, placing the knife back on the table next to Sirius' plate. "They've asked the Prefects to sit at the top of the table for the feast."

"Why?" Peter asked from his seat next to Sirius.

"The new student," Lily explained. "They want her to sit with us if she gets Sorted into Gryffindor. All of the Prefects have to do the same."

"'She'?" Sirius asked with interest as James cast him a toothy grin.

"Yes, 'she'," Remus said, frowning down at him. "And perhaps you could keep it in your pants this time—"

"Not likely," James chuckled.

"Why do the Prefects have to sit with her?" Peter asked curiously.

"They haven't said why," Lily said with a shrug. "Just that we should accompany her until instructed otherwise if she's put in our House."

"They're getting ready to start the announcements," Remus said, looking at Lily. "We should go."

"Sit with me?" she asked James with a teasing smile.

"You know I can't sit that close to a table full of professors," James said plaintively, tapping his nose. "Allergies."

"Allergies, sure," she laughed, kissing him on the cheek.

She and Remus made their way to the top of the table as the remaining three leaned forward to discuss theories about the transfer student.

"Escaped prisoner from Azkaban," James said intently. "'Transfer Student' is just a cover."

"Weak," Sirius dismissed. "Model from a dirty magazine. Realizes she needs to get an education while she can."

"She's our age."

"So? She matured early. Faked her age to get into the business."

"Unlikely. Mental patient from St. Mungo's. Likes the taste of children."

"Gross. Former stripper—"

"What is it with you and girls, mate?"

"Maybe she's a Muggle!"

Sirius and James turned to stare at Peter.

"It's possible," the small boy mumbled, fiddling with his fingers.

Another long moment passed before they turned back to each other, choosing to ignore the suggestion.

"Vampire. Only likes the taste of children."

"You're mental, James…"

oOoOo

Aliyah stood in a small room off of the entrance hall, listening to the group of young people milling about just outside the door. Next to her, Professor Dumbledore watched her bounce on the balls of her feet as they waited.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked politely.

She shook her head, her hands going to the base of her back and playing with the ends of her hair.

"No, thank you," she replied with a smile. "To be honest, I just want to see more magic."

The Headmaster chuckled.

"You will find an abundance of that here, I assure you. As soon as Professor McGonagall returns… Ah, here she is…"

The stern-looking witch came in through the door, shutting it quickly behind her before turning a sharp eye on Aliyah.

"Ah, you must be Miss White," she said briskly, giving the girl's new uniform a once-over.

"Aliyah," she replied, holding out her hand without hesitation.

Professor McGonagall shook her hand firmly, smiling slightly, before turning her gaze to Dumbledore.

"You need to get in there quickly," she ushered him. "We must get the Sorting started so we can get this fiasco over with."

Aliyah paused, her smile fading a bit. Professor McGonagall turned to her and sighed, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, young lady, it's not you that's got me so tightly wound. It's just… well, there are some students that may not…"

"…want to see a Muggle here," Aliyah finished for her with an understanding nod. "Professor Dumbledore told me. Don't worry. If there's one thing I'm familiar with, it's prejudice. Should be a piece of cake."

"Well, I, for one, am confident that Miss Aliyah will do just fine," the Headmaster said pleasantly before pausing by the door and smiling down at her. "You already look like you belong here, after all."

He turned the handle and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him with a gentle click. Aliyah looked down at herself, still not used to the school uniform and robes that she now wore. After a silent moment of readjusting her pleated skirt, she looked up at the sound of Professor McGonagall clearing her throat. The professor looked slightly uncomfortable as she seemed to consider how to word her thoughts.

"I want you to know that I think you being here is a wonderful thing," she said carefully, holding Aliyah in her focused stare. "Many of us have forgotten that there is a world beyond our own. We're taught to be so careful as to not reveal ourselves to Muggles, that I think many in the wizarding world have come to quite resent it.

"This idea of Professor Dumbledore's is one that could make a world of difference for us. I think it is a bit too soon… Many of the old wizard families have taught their children about the inferiority of Muggles. But then, I suppose, it will always be too soon. So, that being said, you must understand how very important this is to us, and to your own kind."

"I do," Aliyah said solemnly.

"And you must understand that you are expected to be on your very best behavior whilst you are here," McGonagall continued. "You will represent Muggles everywhere in the eyes of everyone here. I expect you to be an exemplary student for the full length of the term. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes," she answered with a nod.

"Good. I must go have the First Years Sorted, after which you will be Sorted. Did Professor Dumbledore explain what that meant? Very well. Mister Filch will come in to collect you when it's time. He will bring you to the Great Hall."

She stepped to the door and paused, her hand on the door handle. She glanced back at Aliyah with a somewhat tense expression.

"You will face some trials here, Miss White, many of them at the hands of the students. I ask you to be as patient as you can with them, and to report any undue harassment to myself, directly. Good luck."

With that, she slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Aliyah exhaled a long breath, running her fingers through her hair. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so nervous. Perhaps the first time she'd met her foster family, but even then… it hadn't felt like this. She could swear she could feel the magic of this place seeping into her, filling voids she didn't know she had. She ran her fingers over the wood of the door and wondered what awaited her when she passed through it.

oOoOo

"Yvanis, Brent."

Sirius watched with utter boredom as the final student was Sorted into his new House ("Hufflepuff!"). He stifled a yawn as Peter craned his neck to see the front of the Hall better.

"I still don't see anyone," Peter complained, accidentally bumping into Sirius for the fifth time as he struggled to see past him.

"They'll bring her out when they're ready, Wormtail," Sirius said through gritted teeth.

"Shut it, Dumbledore's up," James said quickly, straightening from his slumped position as the Headmaster stood from his seat.

The hum of conversation that had begun died instantly as Professor Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of his belt.

"Welcome, First Years," he said warmly, smiling at the new students. "It is always inspiring to see new faces amongst the old ones. But before I give all of you a proper greeting, there is one more addition I must make."

Sirius sat up a little straighter, paying heed to the Headmaster's speech for the first time in perhaps years.

"As witches and wizards, we are born with great power," Professor Dumbledore went on. "With such capabilities, it is easy to forget that we are not above those around us. Wars have been fought between ourselves and other races over this idea of superiority that we seem to have wrapped ourselves in. And so, it is time to dispel such notions. The new student that will be joining us… is a Muggle."

There was a brief moment of stunned silence before the entire hall erupted into a cacophony of reactions. Students all across the hall were chattering excitedly, sitting in stunned silence, shrugging with indifference, or wearing colorfully appalled expressions. The Slytherin table seemed to be writhing with agitation, and many of the older students were even rising to their feet, words of outrage cutting across each other as they crashed through the hall. In apparent, innate retaliation, many of the Gryffindors rose, as well, clapping and cheering to blatantly drown out the Slytherin protests.

Sirius and James looked across the table at each other, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. Next to Sirius, Peter practically bounced in his seat.

"I told you it was a Muggle!" he said enthusiastically.

Sirius turned his stare to the Head Table, his brows furrowing in disbelief.

The chaos went on for a handful of minutes, during which Professor Dumbledore had calmly taken his seat, watching the students over his steepled fingers. Finally, he stood, slowly, and something in his bearing and in the piercing, surprisingly sharp gaze he cast around the room immediately suppressed the raised voices until not a word was whispered and every eye in the hall was on him.

"I understand how some of you must feel about this," he continued pleasantly, as though there had been no interruption. "However, I believe this will benefit us all. An exchange of culture can only lead to both parties being enlightened, and I believe this will be a very enlightening year. Now, unfortunately, I must add this."

He placed his fingertips on the table in front of him, and his entire demeanor seemed to change. Even the thousands of floating candlesticks appeared to flicker and dim as if to emphasize his next words.

"Should any harm, be it physical or otherwise, come to our new student, I shall see to it personally that the parties responsible will be dealt with… severely."

A shiver seemed to run through the students. Dumbledore straightened, once more smiling and clasping his hands in front of him.

"And now, I think it is time to meet our guest."

oOoOo

Aliyah followed the old caretaker, Argus Filch, across the Entrance Hall. He paused outside the open doors to the Great Hall and gestured for her to go in, watching her suspiciously. She gave him a polite nod before taking a deep breath and stepping over the threshold.


	2. AWHFB Chapter Two

Author's note: Hope you liked the first chapter! I'm new to the site, so if you see any mistakes I've made as far as categories and whatnot, please let me know. I'm a stickler for spelling and grammar, so please point out anything I may have overlooked. Save sparing my feelings, I'd like honest opinions on my writing style. Not rude, just honest.

As you already know, this takes place during Sirius Black's seventh year at Hogwarts. I'm trying to stay as true to the original characters as possible, so if there are fluctuations, oops! It'll be a challenge, since there's only a few references to how these characters were at this time. Aliyah is a created character, and I don't have her all figured out, yet. Gonna let her develop as I go along. Should be fun! I made her American because I can relate to her better that way, and it will be hard enough adapting to this character coming from the Muggle world at that time. Records and audio tapes, am I right?! There will sexual content at some point(s), as well.

Sorry for the bubbly oOo's that separate the segments, but every other method I've tried, including simple dashes, isn't working. So if anyone could tell me how to take care of that… you'll get a long-distance high-five. Otherwise, enjoy the bubblies!

oOoOo

Sirius turned in his seat along with every student in the hall at the sound of footsteps by the door. Whatever he was expecting to see, it wasn't this. There was no indication that she was a Muggle, camouflaged as she was in Hogwarts robes. The black fabric flowed behind her as she walked with purpose, head held high, towards the top of the Great Hall where Professor McGonagall waited with the stool and Sorting Hat. Her blonde hair trailed low down her back, framing the sharp, fair features of her face. Sirius couldn't help the frown that crossed his face as he watched her proud stature pass by. As far as Dumbledore's ideas went, this had to be one of the worst ones.

Aliyah felt her body try to betray her as she walked, her legs wanting to falter under the weight of so many stairs, but she willed herself to walk straight and walk tall. Her eyes wanted to scan the entire room, but she resisted, knowing she would be likely to stop dead in her tracks if she allowed herself the luxury. There was light everywhere, drenching the hall, coming from what looked like floating candlesticks—no, she couldn't look. After what felt like an eternity of walking, she arrived in front of Professor McGonagall, who smiled kindly at her over the scroll of parchment she held in her hands.

"White, Aliyah," the professor read out before rolling the parchment and gesturing to the stool.

Aliyah turned, facing the hall, and perched herself on the stool. Her stomach clenched as the full force of the students' attention hit her once more, but she managed to keep her face pleasantly neutral. She felt the Sorting Hat lowered onto her head, the brim resting low over her eyes. After a short moment, she heard a voice in her ear, and though she had known it would come, she couldn't stop herself from jumping slightly.

"Ah, the Muggle," the voice said thoughtfully. "I've been looking forward to this. Let us see. You're quite cunning when you need to be. You've a fairly sharp mind and plenty of wit. You've seen hard work in your life, and you treasure loyalty. But your bravery… Your being here speaks volumes, and so you can only belong to one House. Gryffindor!"

Aliyah blinked, not expecting the last word to be shouted out loud. As McGonagall lifted the hat from her head, the table to her far left exploded into cheers and applause, some of its occupants even standing as they did so, with pointed stares at the table on the opposite end of the hall. She looked up at the professor, who nodded and gestured toward the cheering table, and she stood from the stool, making her way past another table of politely applauding students.

A girl with bright red hair rose from the Gryffindor table and held her hand out to Aliyah as she approached.

"I'm Lily Evans," she said warmly. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Thanks," Aliyah said with a smile, shaking her hand before taking a seat between her and another boy their age with a mop of black, curly hair and a friendly smile.

"Mitch Ringwald," the boy said with a nod and a wink.

"Nice to meet you, Mitch."

"Mitch is a Prefect," Lily explained. "So am I, as well as Crystal O'Connor, and Remus Lupin."

Aliyah shook hands with a pretty strawberry-blonde girl, then with the boy with shadows under his eyes.

"American?" Remus inquired curiously as they released hands.

"Is it obvious?" Aliyah asked with a laugh.

"In a good way," Lily said with a charming smile, and Aliyah could already feel that she would like the girl.

Dumbledore stood and spread his arms.

"Welcome, students, new and old," he said loudly. "And now for the magic words before the feast. Bibbity. Bobbity. Boo."

Aliyah laughed and Dumbledore caught her eye with a wink before taking his seat. She turned around and let out a gasp when she saw that the golden platters were now filled with endless amounts of food.

"That was my reaction the first time I saw it, too," Remus said with a grin as he speared a slab of meat with his fork and pulled it onto his plate.

Aliyah only recognized a few of the dishes, so she consequently took helpings of everything in within reach. Lily and Remus laughed as they watched her.

"There's more courses after this, you know," Lily told her with amusement. "Trust me, you'll want to save room."

Aliyah laughed and replied, "More courses? There's no way all this food gets eaten. Where does it all go?"

"Not sure, actually," the redhead replied with a thoughtful frown. "I know it goes from here back to the kitchen, but after that, I have no idea. I suppose the house elves do something with it."

"What's a house elf?" Aliyah asked curiously.

As the course disappeared from the tables and was replaced with the next one, it seemed Aliyah couldn't ask enough questions. Each answer brought more, and her tablemates answered each one, taking turns as they ate. Further down the table, Sirius and his companions gorged themselves as well, discussing the turn of events.

"A Muggle," James said for the fourth time, the level of astonishment in his voice the same as the first time he'd said it. "A real Muggle, here at Hogwarts."

Sirius grunted, as he had the past three times James had made the exclamation.

"Pass the marmalade," he said around the food in his mouth.

"Come on," James said, handing him the small dish. "You don't have an opinion about this? I mean… it's a Muggle at Hogwarts!"

Sirius maintained a stubborn silence, spreading the marmalade over his slice of freshly baked bread.

"Well, what do you think, Prongs?" Peter asked James curiously as he nibbled at his food.

"What do you mean, what do I think? I've been the only one talking about it, haven't I?"

"Well, yeah," Peter said with a shrug, "but all you've really said is 'wow, a Muggle at Hogwarts'."

"Well, that about sums it up, doesn't it?" James asked as though it should be obvious.

Sirius snorted before looking up at James.

"He's right, Prongs. You haven't said what you really think about it."

James stared thoughtfully up at the ceiling for along moment as the food disappeared and the dessert course took its place.

"I think it's a good thing," he said at last. "I mean, anything that makes the Slytherins look like that—"

He pointed to the Slytherin table where almost all of its occupants were either sitting in stony silence or casting dark glances at Dumbledore and the back of the Muggle's head.

"—is good enough for me to get on board with."

"Cheers to that," Sirius said with a grin as he took a swig of his pumpkin juice.

As the dessert course drew to a close, the food faded, leaving behind spotless gold platters. An almost tangible haze seemed to settle over the hall as warmth, full bellies, and the lateness of the evening took their toll on each individual. Dumbledore stood and began to speak, welcoming the new students and reminding everyone to heed the words he'd already expressed to them. Aliyah had a feeling the words had to do with herself. He began to list the school's announcements for the year, some things which she understood and some things she completely did not. She let her gaze wander a bit as she listened. There were, indeed, floating candlesticks over all the tables, what looked like hundreds or more. Through them, she could see the rafters that… seemed to stretch over the sky? She could see the stars and the shining moon perfectly. She wondered if it was glass, and if it would withstand a good storm or some hail.

"It's enchanted to reflect the sky outside," Lily whispered in her ear, having followed Aliyah's stare.

"You mean that's the ceiling?" Aliyah whispered back in amazement.

"Yes, that's the ceiling," Lily responded with a quiet chuckle.

She stared at it for a long moment before wrenching her eyes away and forcing herself to focus on Dumbledore.

"And now, for our school's noble anthem!"

He waved his wand, and large, golden words appeared in the air over his head. Most of the school's students and professors launched into song, but Aliyah couldn't tell one tune from another. It seemed everyone was singing the words however they liked, creating a chaotically entertaining medley. When the last notes were done, the words faded and Dumbledore beamed around at them all.

"Well done, as always," he said genuinely, causing Aliyah to clap a hand over her mouth to smother the laughter bubbling up in her mouth. "And now, off to your dorms! Good night!"

There were loud scrapings as the benches were pushed back, students standing and chattering loudly as they began to flood out of the hall. Aliyah hesitated, unsure of where to go, when she noticed McGonagall making a beeline for her. The Gryffindor Prefects waited as she approached.

"Miss White, you'll be staying in Gryffindor tower," she informed her before turning to the Prefects. "I'll trust you all to make yourselves available should Miss White need assistance. And as much as it pains me to say this, I don't think it would hurt to have you taking special care to make sure no harm comes to her or yourselves. Miss Evans, perhaps you could remain in Miss White's company. Escort her around the school, the grounds, help her familiarize herself with the school and such."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," Lily responded with a bright smile. "We'll get along famously."

Aliyah returned her smile and they bade McGonagall a good night before following the other students out of the Great Hall. The Prefects Mitch and Crystal walked ahead a bit, talking to each other about their summer holidays, while Remus and Lily walked with Aliyah.

"So," she said without preamble, "you two are sort of like my babysitters now, huh?"

Remus ducked his head while Lily looked at her fretfully.

"Oh, please don't think of it as that," she said earnestly. "It's just that some of the students are quite upset that you're here, and we don't… want you to…."

She trailed off as she noticed Aliyah's widening grin, and she shoved the Muggle's shoulder playfully.

"You're teasing!" she accused as Remus chuckled with some relief.

"It's fine," Aliyah said as they began to climb the stairs in the Entrance Hall. "If I'm going to have babysitters, at least I know I'll like them."

"I think we'll get along just fine," Remus said with a smile. "In fact, I think you'll particularly enjoy the company of two of our friends. You seem to share their sense of humor..."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing, the way you said it," Aliyah replied, patting his shoulder sympathetically.

"It's refreshing to see it from a girl, for once," Lily chimed. "Most of the time, I'm spending my hours with all boys."

Aliyah started to reply, but stopped when she heard loud splashes further up the staircase. She looked up to see a cauldron flying through the air, upending its slimy contents onto the heads of the students ahead of them. The cauldron then fell to the ground and another came whizzing from a nearby corridor, mirroring the previous cauldron's attack.

"PEEVES!" they heard Professor McGonagall bellow from below as she hastily made her way up the stone steps.

"Oh, no," Lily said, looking up as the second cauldron finished emptying what looked like frog eggs over a small group of first years not ten feet from them.

Overhead, a small man faded into sight, floating upside-down with a maniacal grin as he waved his finger and another cauldron whipped around the corner toward the students.

"Come on," Remus said quickly, grabbing Aliyah's arm and leading her off the stairs and down a side corridor, pulling aside a hanging tapestry and holding it while she and Lily ducked behind it before he followed them.

Aliyah stared at them with wide eyes.

"Was that a ghost?!"

"A poltergeist," Lily corrected, looking annoyed. "And a bloody awful one, at that. That was a good save, Remus. I don't know what he would've done if he'd noticed her."

"Why?" Aliyah asked as she followed them through the narrow walkway. "What would he have done?"

"Put it this way," Remus explained as he pushed at what looked like a dead end until it opened. "Peeves is notorious for… 'greeting' new students every year. What you just saw was one of the milder things he's done."

He poked his head out into the corridor beyond and, seeing no one, held open the faux wall as they climbed out. He closed it behind them, and Aliyah could see it was actually a large pedestal that seemed to move as lightly as air.

"I don't know what he would've done if he saw you, the new Muggle," Remus continued as he led the way along the hallway. "But it wouldn't have been pretty. You won't be able to avoid him all year… but he's a bit much to swallow on your first night here."

"Floating candlesticks, talking hats, and poltergeists… oh, my," Aliyah commented dryly, shaking her head. "Is there any part of this place that's normal? For Muggles, I mean."

"Well, the people are pretty normal," Lily replied. "I came from the Muggle world, too. Besides some of the more exuberant characters, there's not much difference. You'll see. We'll introduce you to James, Sirius, and Peter. I'm sure they'll be a fresh breath of normal for you."

"If you consider two boys who love doing absolutely anything they can to get into as much trouble as they can without getting punished for it and a third boy who follows their every move normal…" Remus muttered, starting up another staircase.

"Sounds like home to me," Aliyah said brightly.

oOoOo

Sirius lounged in front of the fire in the Common Room of the Gryffindor tower. He leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa, his legs kicked out carelessly and his arms crossed over his chest. His head drooped back, his raven hair spilling down the back of the couch. His eyes drifted closed as he listened to the banter between James and Peter as they played wizard's chess on the floor in front of the couch.

"No, you idiot, I told you, the knight can only move one up and two over, or two up and one over," he heard James huff impatiently. "You can't go diagonal!"

"C'mon, Prongs," Peter said plaintively. "Don't call me an idiot! I told you, I never played before, I only watched."

"How you've lived all your life and never played wizard's chess, I'll never know," James grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm not doing that bad," Peter said eagerly. "Look, I can take your queen with my rook!"

"The rook doesn't move diagonally, Wormtail."

"Oh, yeah…"

"Alright, that's it," Sirius mumbled, raising his hands to rub them over his face. "I'm going to bed. I don't think I can keep listening to this."

Peter looked up at him curiously.

"Don't you want to meet the Muggle?"

"I saw her at the feast," Sirius grunted, arching his back as he stretched.

"Yeah, but you didn't meet her," Peter objected.

"What's it to you?" he asked grumpily. "I don't need to meet her. I need sleep."

"Yeah, 'cause you never get that," James muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," his friend said with false cheer. "Just that you sleep more than any grandpa I know."

Sirius grabbed one of the decorative throw pillows next to him and hurled it at James.

"Watch it!" James said quickly as the pillow bounced and scattered the chess pieces, which then promptly got up and began to skitter under the couch for cover.

Sirius smirked as James sighed scooped the pieces he could reach in time back into their box.

"So, you really don't want to meet the Muggle, then?" his friend asked, looking up at Sirius.

"I really don't care to," Sirius replied.

"Why not?" Peter asked from beneath the couch as he wriggled back and forth, trying to collect the fleeing chess pieces.

"Why would I?" he snapped irritably. "She's just a Muggle. Not much interesting going on there."

"You still haven't said what you thought about her being here," James pushed, leaning back against the front of a plush sofa.

"What's it matter what I think?" he asked with exasperation.

"I'm just asking, mate. You're the one that's dodging the question…"

oOoOo

Aliyah paused, wondering why Remus and Lily were stopping in front of a large painting of a heavyset woman in a dress. She was about to ask when the painting moved, the woman turning her head toward them.

"Password?" she asked regally.

"Flibberty gibbet," Remus said without missing a beat.

The painting swung forward, revealing the hole that led into the Gryffindor tower. Aliyah stared.

"That painting moved," she stated, pointing openly at the frame.

"Apparently, I'm the only one that can!" the fat lady snapped. "I can't stay open all night, you know!"

Smiling, Lily and Remus ushered her through, apologizing to the grumbling portrait as it swung shut behind them.

"It moved AND talked," Aliyah said blankly.

"Most of them do," Remus explained. He gave her a long, slightly worried look. "Bit too much, right now?"

Aliyah looked up at him and the blank expression melted into a grin.

"I love this place," she said fervently. "What else can you show me?"

Lily and Remus laughed.

"There will be plenty for you to see tomorrow," Lily assured her. "There's classes in the morning, so we shouldn't stay up too late. But come here, you can meet our friends…"

She took Aliyah's hand and guided her through the crowded Common Room. Aliyah smiled and nodded to people as they passed, as fascinated with the staring students as they were with her. Lily was guiding her to the large fireplace where a roaring fire was crackling merrily. A couch and two armchairs surrounded it at a comfortable distance. Two students sat on the floor, one leaning against an armchair, dangling something in his fingers, and the other wiggling underneath the couch apparently chasing something. Aliyah looked down and thought she saw a tiny stone figure gallop by on its horse. As they came up behind the couch, they could hear the messy-haired boy arguing with a third student sitting on the couch, his head leaning back and his eyes closed in weary irritation. Neither of them had noticed the slight hush in the room as the other students watched Aliyah curiously.

"Just spit it out," James was saying, watching the tiny bishop squirm in his hand as he dangled it over the chess pieces box. "What do you think about the Muggle being here?"

The long-haired student let out a heavy sigh.

"I think it's a stupid idea, Prongs," he snapped, throwing his hands up in surrender before letting them fall to his sides on the couch. "I don't think any Muggle should be here, let alone a girl. I think Dumbledore's daft for even considering it, and I think he should send her on the first train home."

His statement was met by silence. He peeked open an eye and looked down to see James looking over his head with a familiar expression. The kind he wore when he got caught doing something. A shadow passed over him and he tilted his head back up to see a girl's face leaning over him from behind the couch.

"Well, tell me how you really feel."


	3. AWHFB Chapter Three

Sirius blinked up into Aliyah's smirking face, caught off-guard by her sudden appearance and momentarily at a loss for words.

"Nicely done, Sirius," Lily said coolly, coming to stand next to her. "Aliyah, this is Sirius Black. Don't worry. Right now, he's not worth knowing. I'll introduce you to the decent people in our group."

She pulled on her arm and led her around to couch to where James was climbing to his feet. Sirius lifted his head off the back of the couch and watched them almost warily. James smiled awkwardly and offered his hand as Lily introduced him with a fond smile. She shook his hand happily, sensing a kindred spirit in the young man's loose bearing and carefree energy.

"Nice to meet you," he said as he released her hand, rubbing the back of his neck with a slight wince. "Sorry about that—"

Aliyah shook her head.

"Don't worry about it," she said firmly. "I was told I wouldn't be welcomed here by everyone."

"Besides, you didn't say anything, James," Lily added. "Your sidekick did."

Lily and Remus introduced her to Peter, the boy on the ground, and to a few of the Gryffindor students that they were close to while Sirius watched silently from the couch. However, the energy in the room was sluggish, and students were already filing to bed. Shortly after, Lily led Aliyah up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. An extra bed had been put into the seventh year girls' room, and Aliyah smiled at the sight of the scarlet, velvet hangings around the windows and beds, and the trunks at the bottom of each bed. At one of the beds, the one farthest from the door, she recognized her own suitcase leaning against a new-looking trunk.

As Aliyah tossed herself backwards onto the mattress of her new bed, Lily sat on the edge of her own, which sat just next to Aliyah's.

"I'm sorry about what Sirius said," Lily said suddenly. "I honestly didn't expect a Gryffindor to say something like that."

"It's really fine," she assured her, shifting onto her side and resting her head on her hand. "Like I said, I expected it."

"Yeah, but…" Lily said slowly, picking at the quilt on her bed. "You don't get it. Gryffindors aren't known for hating Muggles. And Sirius… His family always hated them with a passion, and he always hated his family. He was always a Muggle advocate, if only to rebel against them."

"Well, maybe it was all just an act," Aliyah said dismissively. "But that James… He's your guy, isn't he?"

Lily smiled shyly.

"I knew it," Aliyah said with a grin. "Way to go. He's a cutie."

They laughed and chatted some more as they changed and climbed into bed, greeting the other girls as they came in for the night. As they laid their heads on the pillows, Lily looked over at Aliyah with a smile.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Aliyah."

"Thanks, Lily," she murmured as her eyes drifted shut.

oOoOo

Aliyah and Lily went down to breakfast together in the Great Hall, and Aliyah was once again amazed by the amount of food served. Lily led the way to the Gryffindor table and sat across from James, smiling at him. Aliyah sat next to her, across from Sirius, who barely glanced up from his meal as they sat. Remus and Peter were further along the table, standing with Professor McGonagall as she handed them each a piece of parchment.

"Our schedules are being passed around," Lily said with interest as she served herself a helping of eggs.

"Wonder what that means for me," Aliyah said thoughtfully, getting a sample of everything she could reach.

"Classes are usually assigned to us based on what our career choices are," James said around a mouthful of toast. "McGonagall will have something planned for you, I'm sure. Maybe you'll be the new Muggle Studies professor."

"Yeah, right," she responded with a grin. "I'll teach all of you how to sew a dress in no time."

"As long as it's blue," James said haughtily, batting his eyelashes. "To match my eyes."

She and Lily laughed as Peter and Remus joined them, each holding their schedules. Sirius leaned over to peer at Remus' and frowned.

"You're taking Muggle Studies?" he asked dryly. "Why?"

"What's wrong with Muggle Studies?" Lily asked sharply.

Sirius raised an eyebrow at her.

"I didn't say anything was wrong with it," he said irritably. "I just don't know why he would take it. I mean, it's kind of pointless—"

"You're unbelievable!" Lily exclaimed. "There's a Muggle right here! Could you at least pretend to have a shred of decency—"

"It's fine," Aliyah cut her off, wiping her mouth and dropping her napkin on her plate.

Sirius sighed.

"That's not what I—"

"It doesn't matter," she interrupted, standing and stepping over the bench. "I'm gonna grab my schedule. Maybe I'll get to teach Remus how to sew a dress."

She walked away from the table as James snorted into his drink.

"Did I miss something?" she heard Remus say before she was out of hearing range.

Lily caught up with her as she strode toward Professor McGonagall.

"What a prat," she seethed indignantly. "What makes him think he can just say whatever he wants?"

Aliyah smiled.

"It really is okay," she assured her. "From what I've heard, I'm going to get a lot worse."

"But it's Sirius," Lily objected, throwing up her hands. "He's always rebelled against his Muggle-hating family! And don't pretend like it's okay, because it's not. That way of thinking is terrible no matter how you brush it off."

Aliyah smiled at her as they reached McGonagall. The professor turned to them, already shuffling through the sheaf of papers tucked into the crook of her arm.

"Miss Evans… and Miss White," she said as she handed them each their schedules. "Miss White, I took the liberty of selecting your classes for you. Usually, we let the students do that in their sixth year, but in your unique situation, I've decided to put you in the classes I think will help you get the most out of your experience here."

"Thanks, Professor," she responded as she scanned over her list of subjects.

Lily looked over her shoulder, reading the list, as well.

"Looks like we've got a couple of classes together," she said cheerfully. "Come on, we've got Advanced Charms, first."

oOoOo

Sirius huffed impatiently and slammed his goblet down, causing it to slosh over the side.

"Well, come on," he snapped. "Out with it."

"Out with what?" James asked innocently as he swept the last morsels on his plate into his mouth.

"I can feel the judgment rolling off all of you," he said with a scowl. "Just say what you have to say and be done with it."

A brief moment passed in which James, Remus, and Peter exchanged glances. Finally, James piped up.

"Well, you were a bit rude."

"Rude actually doesn't begin to cover it," Remus said beneath his breath.

"She's been really nice to us," Peter pointed out with a shrug.

"Uncouth, perhaps," Remus continued. "Though I don't think that does you justice, either."

Sirius gritted his teeth.

"I'm just saying," James said in a reasoning tone, "maybe you could, you know, not act like such a…"

"A wanker?" Remus suggested with a pointed stare.

"A prat?" Peter said helpfully.

"A bigot?" Remus added.

"I was going to say a Slytherin," James finished.

Sirius and his other friends gave James a mixture of shocked and appalled expressions.

"I don't know about that one," Remus hedged.

"Yeah, that seems a bit harsh," Peter agreed, nervously eyeing Sirius' livid expression.

"Well, I'll tell you what, mate," James said, patting Sirius on the shoulder. "When you stop sounding like a Slytherin, I'll stop calling you one."

Sirius glared at James with a quelling look that would have made a lesser man cringe, but James stared back evenly. After a long, tense moment, Sirius threw his fork down next to his plate and sighed.

"I didn't even mean it like that," he said irritably. "I just know what Remus wants to do when he gets out of Hogwarts, and I don't see how Muggle Studies is going to help him get there. You want to be a politician, right?" he asked, turning towards Remus. "You want to fight for werewolves' rights? What's that got to do with Muggles? Or do you have something you've not told us, yet?"

Remus avoided his gaze.

"Yes, that is what I want to do," he said, avoiding the gazes of his friends. "It's just that I know I can't make a career out of that. People don't get money for food by getting involved in public debates. I need to keep my options open."

James pointed slowly at Remus.

"Coming back to that…" He moved his finger to point at Sirius. "That still doesn't explain how you've been acting around the Muggle."

"Aliyah," Remus chimed.

"That's what I said," James said without taking his eyes off of Sirius. "You've got to know how you've been sounding, mate. First with what you said in the Common Room, then just now. I'm the last person to talk about tact or nonsense like that, but you may want to try some. If Lily tries to kill you, I'm half-obligated to either help her or pretend I don't hear your cries for help."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Look, I only care about what you lot think of me," he said, wiping his mouth on a napkin and dropping it on his plate. "If some stranger happens to hear the wrong things at the wrong time and decides to judge me on it, then she can sod off. And so can the rest of the world, for that matter."

With that, he stood, slinging his school bag over his shoulder and strolling out of the Great Hall.

oOoOo

Advanced Charms was beyond fascinating. Aliyah watched as the students performed spell after spell, causing objects to fly about the room, expand in size, or make funny noises. Professor Flitwick even allowed her to volunteer herself for some of the practices, and she spent a good deal of the class time flying through the air and having her hair color changed. The class was shared between Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, and all of them were warm and jovial as they showed her the various spells they had learned. As the class ended and they filed out of the room, Professor Flitwick approached her.

"Don't worry about your hair color," he said, looking up at her slightly wind-swept strands that now fell past her elbows in aquamarine waves. "The charm will wear off in an hour or two."

"I actually don't mind it," she said with a smile.

The professor chuckled.

"Today was mainly to show you what this class is about," he told her as he walked her to the doorway where Lily was waiting. "Next lesson, you'll get to see them actually try a seventh-year spell. I'll keep you near me in case there are any explosions."

Aliyah raised her eyebrows.

"That happen a lot?"

"On occasion," Flitwick replied lightly. "Say the wrong word, twirl your wand incorrectly, and you could find yourself with your eyebrows on fire. But fear not! I will ensure no harm comes to you."

"Well, thank you, Professor," she said gratefully, smiling down at the small man. "I look forward to the next lesson."

Lily hooked her arm through Aliyah's as they went down the hallway.

"What did you think?" she asked.

"I think I wish I'd been born a witch," Aliyah said with a rueful smile. "To be able to do all that…"

She shook her head in wonder.

"Well, just wait," Lily said as she led the way down a twisting staircase. "Magic is more than spells that make you fly and change your hair. We build our lives around it. What you saw was the superficial, fun parts of it."

"So what is 'Defense Against the Dark Arts'?" she asked, pulling out her schedule and reading the next class. "It doesn't sound as cheerful as 'Charms'."

"That's because it's not," Lily said simply. "Some people abuse magic. They use it to hurt people or to accomplish… distasteful ends. We call that the Dark Arts. This class teaches us how to defend against it."

"So, not a class where I'll be flying through the air?" she asked with a faux hopeful smile.

"Well, you could," Lily answered with a smirk as she stopped in front of a sturdy wooden door, "but your landing wouldn't be quite as smooth as it was in Charms."

She pushed the door open and they stepped into a classroom that was half-filled with students from both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter sat in the seats closest to the door, and Aliyah recognized the strategic placing for making quick getaways when the class is ended. She and Lily took the empty seats in front of Sirius and James.

"Nice hair," James said with a grin at Aliyah.

"Why thank you," she replied, delicately patting the untamed strands. "I was going for a lion-meets-algae motif."

Peter laughed from behind James, but Remus and Sirius were eyeing her locks with shrewd expressions. Remus leaned around Sirius to address her.

"A student didn't do that to you, did they?" he asked with concern.

"No, no," she said quickly. "It's just a charm. Lily's classmates were showing me what all they could do. Lily actually suggested the color."

"It makes her eyes pop," Lily commented with a smile.

Remus sat back, looking relieved and smiling slightly, but Sirius' expression remained solemn. As Aliyah turned back around, she saw James giving him pointed glances that were apparently being ignored. As she faced the front, Professor McGonagall came in, closing the door behind the last of the students. She took her place behind her desk and scanned the room keenly.

"Welcome to the final level of Defense Against the Dark Arts," she began. "I will be your teacher for this term. We were unable to find a replacement for Professor Worthington after his… accident last year. We were fortunate enough to find a replacement for Transfiguration for the time being. Now, this year will be particularly challenging to all of you. You will learn how to defend yourself against some of the darkest of spells and curses, and you will be taught about those spells against which there are no defenses. Are there any questions before we begin?"

Aliyah raised her hand, frowning.

"Yes, Miss White?"

"There are spells you can't defend against?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes, I'm afraid there are," Professor McGonagall answered gravely. "There aren't many, but some do exist."

"But how is that possible?" she pressed curiously. "Magic, to me, seems limitless. If there's a spell that can do something bad to someone, it stands to reason there must be something that can be done to defend against it."

Professor McGonagall smiled slightly.

"An astute observation," she said approvingly. "If we're being literal, then I suppose there is only one spell that is indefensible. And since spells are aimed from wands, then the last and only defense would be the quickness of your feet."

Aliyah nodded thoughtfully, and the professor began her lesson. She reviewed what they had practiced in their sixth year, none of which Aliyah understood. Then McGonagall had them stand, and, with a sweep of her wand, she sent the desks, chairs, and the students' belongings flying neatly to the side of the room. She had the students square off to each other in two lines, though she had Aliyah stand next to herself. The two of them walked around the students as they practiced their advanced shield charms. Professor McGonagall corrected the students where she saw errors, and explained the details of the spell to Aliyah. Aliyah began to understand the structure of the spell, but the idea of it was still fathomless to her. The Gryffindors were warm and familiar with her, but the Ravenclaws mostly regarded her with cool and calculative gazes. They were polite enough, but she felt as though she was being silently criticized by them as she walked around the room.

She watched as Lily and Remus cast quick spells at each other, both of them successfully shielding themselves against the other's attacks. McGonagall had little to say to them. Sirius and James were less enthusiastic, lazily flicking their wands at each other when the professor wasn't looking but Aliyah was. One of the times James was looking sideways at Lily, Sirius sent a spell at him that sent him sprawling to the floor, clutching his sides with helpless laughter until McGonagall ordered Sirius to remove the tickling curse. Aliyah tried to stifle her laughter behind the professor's back, but she was able to sober quickly when Sirius turned his dark eyes on her. She turned to watch Peter get hit with spell after spell, as his shields were broken by the weakest of curses. His Gryffindor companion was fairing far better, warding off Peter's curses with barely a flick of her wand. The professor spent a full ten minutes trying to help him perfect his technique.

As Aliyah watched McGonagall show Peter how to hold his wand yet again, something bright and burning suddenly hit the side of her face and she cried out, staggering back into one of the desks as a searing sensation spread across her cheek and down to her chin. Professor McGonagall was at her side immediately.

"Let me see, Miss White, let me see," she said briskly, pulling her hand away from her face and observing the flesh clinically. "A burning curse. Not a potent one, but meant to hurt, nonetheless. Who is responsible for this?"

She turned to face the rest of the students, her cheeks flushed with anger. A tall girl stepped forward, her expression haughty and unrattled.

"It was my curse, Professor. I missed my mark," she said, nodding at the equally calm girl standing across from her.

"As your target was directly in front of you, and Miss White was here beside me, I have no choice but to believe it was done intentionally," McGonagall said in a clipped tone. "You will remain after class, and then you shall accompany me to visit the Head of your House."

"I hardly see why I should be punished for accidentally hurting someone who has no way of defending herself," the girl said snidely. "This IS the Defense Against the Dark Arts. What, exactly, can she gain from this class except to see how defenseless she actually is?"

Aliyah met the girl's eyes and sent her a silent promise that she would not let this go unpunished. Suddenly, something bright hit the side of the girl's face and she fell to her knees with a small scream, holding her own face. Aliyah looked up to see Lily's wand raised, a furious look in her eyes.

"Now you have one to match!" she said loudly over the girl's sobs.

"Miss Evans!" McGonagall cried, looking startled.

She wasn't the only one. James, Remus, and Peter were looking at her with alarm. Sirius cleared his throat slightly, looking calm but grim.

"Someone needs to take White to the Infirmary," he said to no one in particular.

"Yes," Professor McGonagall said, quickly recovering herself. "Miss Evans, escort Miss White to the Infirmary, then come back here straightaway. I'll need to have a word with you."

"Yes, Professor," Lily said evenly, tucking her wand into her belt.

She walked to Aliyah and took her arm, leading her out of the silent room. Lily led her wordlessly through the corridors, and she didn't mind the silence. When they reached the double Infirmary doors, Lily told her to go inside and turned back the way they had come. Aliyah quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Thanks," she said, giving a small smile despite the hot, throbbing sensation on her face.

Lily merely nodded, but the message Aliyah got from it was clear.

Always.

oOoOo

Author's Note: Woo, excitement! I couldn't remember if McGonagall was ever the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, so I went with the assumption that she wasn't. Since I'm more familiar with her, I decided to give her that subject this year. Trying to stick to Tom Riddle's curse on the position. That wily guy! We got to see Lily's catty side. Who knows what happens when the claws come out! Review, critique, fave, all that good stuff.


	4. AWHFB Chapter Four

Madam Pomfrey, the no-nonsense witch in charge of the Infirmary, had Aliyah sorted out in minutes after just a couple applications of some odd-smelling salves. She had wanted to keep Aliyah in the Infirmary for the remainder of the day, but Aliyah knew this was more out of concern for her well-being than out of medical need. Once she had left the Infirmary, her hair now having returned to its natural color, she realized she wasn't sure where she was or how to get to the Great Hall. However, a very helpful painting of a nobleman on a horse offered to show her the way, and she very soon found herself in the Entrance Hall.

Thanking him, she went down the marble staircase and into the Great Hall where the students were gathered for lunch. Spotting her new friends at their usual seats farthest away from the professors' table, she went to them, ignoring the stairs of many of the students she passed. She sat in the empty space next to Sirius, across from Lily, and immediately began loading her plate with food. Her friends all leaned forward in an effort to get a good look at her.

"Did Madam Pomfrey get you sorted out?" Remus asked with concern.

"She did a great job, I'm fine," she assured him.

"There's not a scar, is there?" Lily asked worriedly. "Some curses leave marks, no matter how they're healed…"

"There's no scars, no pain, I'm fine," she said again.

"Maybe Madam Pomfrey just told you there wasn't a scar," Peter chimed in. "Just to make you feel better."

Aliyah took a deep breath, ready to assure them, yet again, that she was okay. Before she could speak, Sirius turned to her and took her chin in his hand, using his free hand to push the hair back from her face. Caught off guard, she didn't move as he squinted at her, his dark eyes scanning over her cheekbone down to her jaw. After a brief moment, she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Satisfied?" she asked wryly.

Glancing up to meet her eye, he abruptly released her and turned back to his food.

"There," he said irritably to the others. "No scar. Maybe now you can all move on to a different subject."

They all stared at him for a moment before one by one slowly turning back to their food. James alone continued to watch him even as he ate.

"That girl was way out of line," Lily said with angry reminiscence. "I can't believe she did that to you."

"I didn't see her in the infirmary," Aliyah noted, unable to find the girl at the Ravenclaw table.

"Her Head of House probably sorted her out," Lily said dismissively. "Most professors have a bottle of essence of dittany in their office. I hope it leaves a big, ugly scar on her face."

"You know," James said, glancing sideways at her, "you get a little scary, sometimes."

"Well, it's an outrage!" Lily said passionately. "I didn't see anyone else doing anything about it. All she'll get is a slap on the wrist. I thought she should at least get a taste of her own medicine."

"Yes, but as a Prefect, you can't go around cursing people when they do something wrong," Remus said reasonably. "You'll lose that position if you're not careful. It's our duty to report what we see to the staff."

"Yeah, Lily, I wouldn't want you getting into trouble on my behalf," Aliyah added.

"But she attacked you when you have no way of protecting yourself!" Lily objected. "To attack someone who's defenseless is—"

"I'm not."

Lily stared at her.

"I'm not defenseless," Aliyah stated. "I may not have magic, but I can take care of myself. My defenses will just take some time to set up."

"Sounds intriguing," James said slyly.

"It will be," she said with a smirk to James before she turned to Lily again. "Promise me you won't do anything to get yourself in trouble."

Lily opened her mouth, clearly about to object again, but Aliyah pointed at her warningly.

"Promise me."

"Fine, I promise," Lily sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Good. Now the rest of you."

Remus looked up with a frown.

"Come again?" James asked, tilting his ear toward her.

Aliyah pushed back her smile.

"I want all of you to promise me you'll let me handle things in my own way," she said firmly. "I'll never be able to prove I can handle being here if you don't."

Remus nodded reluctantly, but Aliyah glared at him.

"I want to hear you say it."

"I won't interfere in such a way as to get myself into trouble," he said solemnly.

"Good. Peter?"

"What?" he squeaked. "Oh, right. I promise!"

She smiled at him before turning to James. He shrugged.

"I get myself into trouble all the time," he said loftily. "Might as well do it for a good cause."

"No, that's not the point," Aliyah sighed. "Get yourself into trouble all you want, but just not when it comes to me. And in return, I won't narc on you when I see you do something… extracurricular."

James narrowed his eyes at her, and she returned the expression. Finally, he pointed his fork at her.

"Fine, but no telling on me, no matter what you see me doing," he agreed. When she continued to squint at him, he held up his hand, adding, "I swear on the Marauders' Map."

She frowned.

"That what?"

"Don't ask," Lily said with a sigh. "They refuse to tell what it is."

Aliyah shrugged.

"Fine, I'll take what I can get."

She went back to eating.

"What about Sirius?" Peter asked.

She looked up at him with a slight frown.

"What about him?" she asked in confusion.

"You didn't make him promise," he pointed out.

She hesitated, but Sirius was pointedly ignoring them as he swallowed the last of his pumpkin juice.

"I don't think we have to worry about Sirius sticking his neck out for a Muggle," Lily said coolly.

Sirius lowered his goblet to the table and gave Lily a long, hard stare that she returned.

"For someone who's known me for years," he said in a low voice, "you know almost nothing about me."

"I know you've been awful to Aliyah since she's gotten here," she said harshly. "You're the only Gryffindor that has. Perhaps you're sitting at the wrong table."

Sirius' expression was chilling, and the sudden tension at the table was palpable. Aliyah held up her bare wrist as if there were a watch on it.

"Oh, look at the time," she said quickly. "I've got Care of Magical Creatures next. Better get a move on!"

Peter and Remus stood with her, both saying they had the same class. Before she turned away, she looked down at Lily and Sirius, who were still glaring at each other while James looked thoroughly uncomfortable.

"Look, guys," she said awkwardly, "I don't want to be a source of tension in this group. You're all friends, and I don't want to come between that. You guys should smooth things over."

With that, she turned and followed Remus and Peter out of the Hall and out to the grounds. They led her to a stretch of grass near the Forbidden Forest. Professor Kettleburn called everyone close as they approached. It was a small class, and there seemed to be at least few students from each House.

"Gather 'round, everyone," the Professor said, making sure everyone could hear him. "We have an interesting lesson today, though we won't be seeing the creature just yet. I think this may be particularly interesting to you," he added, nodding to Aliyah.

She raised her eyebrows, her curiosity peaked.

"It's not a Muggle-hunter, is it?" one of the Slytherins asked hopefully, with a wicked smile in Aliyah's direction.

"No, it is not," Kettleburn replied matter-of-factly. "Muggles have seen evidence of the Mooncalf, though they have attributed it to… other things. If you will follow me."

The professor led them around a curve of the edge of the woods, and they found themselves facing a large span of tall, waist-high grass. Kettleburn waved his wand, and a wide set of stairs formed, the top of them overlooking the grass. At the professor's instructions, the students climbed to the top of them and stood on the platform, looking down at the grass from several feet up. The area was the size of a small field, and here and there the grass had been neatly pressed down in odd, geometric shapes.

"Can you tell me what those are, Aliyah?" he asked from the bottom of the stairs.

"They look like crop circles," she said, eyeing the shapes curiously.

"What are crop circles?" one of the Hufflepuff girls asked her.

Aliyah smiled, slightly embarrassed.

"When shapes like those appear in corn fields, they call them crop circles," she explained. "They're… thought to have been made by aliens. You know… from outer space."

Several of the students laughed, though only a few of them unkindly. Aliyah smiled and shrugged.

"When we don't have an explanation for something, it's usually aliens."

Remus chuckled and the professor smiled as he came up the stairs to stand next to her.

"In fact, these are NOT made by aliens," he said, looking down at the patterns. "Though, if a Muggle saw what did make them, they would probably think it was an alien. In fact, there's a good chance one did see them, and that may well have been what started the rumor. This is the work of a Mooncalf. It's a very shy creature. We won't be able to see it today, or at any time of day. They only come out on the night of the full moon. Luckily, there is a full moon in just four days. So we will be having a late class that day, which means you will have a free period after lunch."

A small cheer went up from the students. The professor held up a finger.

"But I would like you all to research the Mooncalf until then. I want you all to write what you find, and your paper should be sixty centimeters long."

"What?" Aliyah asked Remus in confusion as the professor made his way back down the steps.

"We write our papers on scrolls," he explained as they descended the stairs. "So we measure them for length."

"Right," she said, slightly baffled. "I forgot you guys use the metric system."

The rest of the class was spent listening to Professor Kettleburn describe the Mooncalf and its habits. He also informed them they would be collecting the creature's dung once it had returned to its burrow.

"Mooncalf dung is very valuable," he informed them. "It helps magical plants grow extremely quickly, and it keeps them extremely healthy. So after we've collected them, Professor Sprout will be helping us distribute it among her more valuable plants. Just… be careful not to lose a hand."

Aliyah started to laugh, but stopped at his grave expression.

"Wait, is he serious?" she asked Remus in a whisper.

"As a Killing Curse," he answered.

After the class, they walked back up to the castle.

"What have you got next?" Remus asked her, looking at his own schedule.

"Advanced Potions," she answered.

"That will be on the second floor," he said, pointing up the stairs. "I've got History of Magic next, but I can make it in time if I hurry."

"Don't worry about it," she said with a shrug. "The paintings have actually been really helpful. I'd like to get more familiar with the school, anyway. Where's your next class, Peter?"

"I have a free period," he said, shuffling his feet. "All the smart classes are going on, right now, so…"

"I bet you're smarter than you think you are," she said kindly before smiling at them both. "See you guys later."

By asking paintings and even a short statue of what looked like a goblin, she managed to find her way to the Potions classroom. Walking in, she saw Sirius, James, and Lily already seated at the two-person desks. Lily and James were seated together, and the chair next to Sirius was empty. Aliyah was just coming to the split decision on where to sit when Sirius looked at her pointedly, pulling out the chair beside him. She hesitated, but went to sit next to him, glancing over her shoulder at Lily who gave an encouraging nod. She turned back around, half-glancing at Sirius before speaking low enough that only he could hear.

"Lily's idea?"

"Lily's idea," he confirmed. "But one I agree with."

She gave him a skeptical look.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot," he said slowly, as though choosing his words carefully. "I didn't quite mean what you think I meant when I said those things."

"You don't know what I thought," she pointed out.

"You've made it pretty clear," he replied shortly.

"Well, so have you," she retorted. "How is it fair that I can't make assumptions about you, but you can make them about me?"

"I never said I had a problem with Muggles."

"But you never said anything to dissuade the notion."

He glared at her, but before he could speak, Professor Slughorn came in, closing the door behind him and smiling around at the room.

"Welcome back, everyone," he said genially. "And a particular welcome to our guest, Miss White."

A low hiss echoed through the room, and Aliyah looked around, noticing for the first time that the Gryffindors shared this class with Slytherins.

"Original," she said out loud. "Snakes. Hissing. I get it."

James tittered behind her and even Sirius smirked.

"Now, now," Professor Slughorn said as he moved behind his desk. "There's no need for all that. Miss White is our guest, and she will be treated as such. Now, on to the lesson!"

Potions was a lot more complicated than Aliyah thought it would be. Despite all the depictions of it in movies and books, it involved more than "a bit of blood" and "eye of newt", although newt eyes, she found out, were used in some potions. As it turned out, it was all very specific, down to the direction you stirred the cauldron and the way you sliced the ingredients.

Only witches and wizards could brew a magical potion, but she was able to gather ingredients and help prepare some of them. She and Sirius worked in silence at first, as Professor Slughorn walked around the desks, checking on their progress. After he had passed their table, Sirius mumbled under his breath so only she could hear.

"So do you really think I don't like Muggles?"

"I don't know what to think," she responded quietly as she counted how many fish scales they had.

"I like Muggles," he said with a shrug as he dropped sliced seaweed into the cauldron, making it hiss. "I think they're cool."

"Boy, that's almost as bad as saying you HATE Muggles," she said, shaking her head at him. "That's like me saying, 'Oh, sure, I like black people', or 'Oh, Jews are awesome!'"

Sirius frowned.

"I don't get it."

"Of course you don't," she sighed. "You shouldn't love or hate any race. Both are generalizing. Saying you love Muggles is just as ignorant as saying you hate them. There's a lot of racism in my country right now, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that you shouldn't love or hate anyone based on their color or creed. You should be blind to those things. You should know the person. Don't tell me you like me because I'm a Muggle, it'll just make me slap you. Look at me as a person, then tell me what you think of me. Even if you say you hate me, at least I'll respect you because you have a legitimate reason."

Sirius was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke.

"People in your country don't like blacks?"

Aliyah snorted.

"People in my country don't like anyone," she said dryly. "It's pretty ugly, but things are changing. What Dumbledore is trying to do here is just the start for all of you. It's going to get messy. But you've got some good people here," she added, glancing over her shoulder at Lily who was smacking James' hand as he tried to put her quill in the cauldron. "I think you guys will be okay."

Sirius stirred the cauldron thoughtfully.

"That was a nice speech you made and all," he said, glancing at her sideways, "but I still don't know where we stand."

"I'll tell you that when you tell me where you stand," she responded. "I'm a Muggle. What do you think of me?"

He stared down at her, his expression neutral.

"Right now, I just think you're self-righteous and infuriating."

"Well," she said, slamming the mortar and pestle she had been grinding down in front of him, "at least now I know you have a reason to hate me. We need more eel bones."

He snatched the mortar and pestle off the desk and stalked to the back of the room where the storage cabinets were. She turned to start cutting the frog eggs, but the one she was holding slipped right through her fingers and off the table. Cursing, she bent to lift it off the floor when she heard a loud plop. She straightened and looked at the cauldron, which was now bubbling angrily. Looking closer, she saw it had turned a sickly green. As she watched, the sides of the cauldron warped and gave way.

"Look out!"

A strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back just as the acidic mixture splashed over the desk and floor, eating at everything in its path. Sirius pulled her further back, keeping a firm grip on her as nearby students shrieked and leapt out of the way. Half of the desk crashed to the bubbling floor, two of its legs having disintegrated, and its contents skittered across the floor. Professor Slughorn stared, frozen, at the dangerous mess until Lily began shouting orders for everyone to evacuate the room.

As those closest to the door began filing out, Aliyah heard snickering, and she looked up to see at least half of the Slytherins watching her with smug expressions. Her eyes locked on them, she tried to pull away from Sirius, to make her way toward them, but he held her fast, wrapping both his arms around her.

"No," he hissed in her ear, his eyes on them, as well. "It's what they want."

"I don't care what they want," she growled as they watched the Slytherins exit the classroom, laughing. "I'm gonna rip their faces off with my bare hands!"

"Yes, and that will show everyone that you can handle being here," Sirius said with heavy sarcasm. "Don't let them get the best of you. They'll get theirs."

"Oh, I know they will," she said darkly. "I'll make sure of it."

She pulled away from him again and he released her. She stalked out of the classroom and into the corridor, where Professor Slughorn had once again regained some of his composure. He was directing Lily to fetch Professor Flitwick, and he dismissed the class, telling them he would reschedule the lesson.

"And what about punishments?" Lily asked before she left.

The Slytherins eyed her warily.

"Punishments?" Slughorn asked, baffled.

"Yes," Lily said stiffly. "For the people responsible for what happened."

"Here, now," he said in an appalled tone. "There's no proof of that. It was Miss White's cauldron, after all. And with no offense meant to her, it was her first time in Potions, and this is Advanced Potions. It was most likely an accident."

Sirius and James exchanged a knowing glanced while Lily stared at the professor in outrage.

"One of those Slytherins dropped something in their cauldron!" she accused, pointing at the accused students.

"I'm sure that's not the case," Slughorn said dismissively, looking thoroughly uncomfortable at being addressed in such a way by a student, or perhaps it was just the fact that it was Lily addressing him so harshly. "Now please go and fetch Professor Flitwick so we can get this mess sorted out. And see if you can't find Filch, as well."

Lily practically swelled with rage, but Aliyah interjected.

"It's fine, Lily," she said neutrally. "The professor's probably right. It was an accident."

She turned and walked down the hallway at a brisk pace, feeling the stares on her back as she went. She turned a couple of corners to make sure she was out of sight and out of hearing range, and she broke into a run, expelling her pent-up energy. Down corridors, up stairs, around corners, and down more stairs. She finally came to a stop at a window that overlooked the grounds. She had a good view of the lake and she could see a large structure that looked like some sort of sport stadium. She leaned against the windowsill, catching her breath, and she leaned her forehead against the cool glass. She wanted so badly to let her despair out, but crying had never come easily to her.

She knew dinner must be soon, but she couldn't bring herself to leave the peace of the deserted hallway. After a few minutes, though, it was no longer deserted. She heard footsteps behind her, and she turned to see Sirius and James stepping out from behind a large vase, a crack in the wall closing behind them. She straightened and turned to face them, leaning back against the windowsill.

"Alright, White?" James asked, leaning against the windowsill next to her and smiling down at her.

"Been better, James," she replied with a bland smile.

"It's always rough when even the professors turn against you," James said with a sagely nod.

Sirius folded his arms and leaned against the wall opposite them.

"Except the professors always turn against you for good reasons," he said pointedly to James, who looked affronted.

"What about that time McGonagall gave me a month's detention for showing up late to class that day in fifth year?"

"You showed up in your knickers and told McGonagall you had an itch that couldn't be scratched."

"Oh, yeah," James said reminiscently. "Well, to be fair, you had doused my clothes in Endless Itching Powder."

"Yes, but she didn't know that," Sirius pointed out. "And it didn't help that you winked. You told me later that you had just wanted to see if she could blush."

"And blush, she did," James said with a proud smile that made Aliyah laugh.

James bumped her shoulder.

"Slughorn's a sodding puppet," he said with a resigned shrug. "His students all figured out they could sweet talk him into anything they wanted, especially if their families are famous or if they might be famous, themselves. He wouldn't say it, but he doesn't expect a lot from Muggle-borns, let alone Muggles. He's always surprised when a Muggle-born does well in one of his classes. It's part of the reason he likes Lily so much. That, and she's, well, Lily…"

His eyes misted over, and Aliyah smiled.

"She's a lucky girl," she said, bumping his shoulder back. "And you're a lucky guy. As her new friend, if you hurt her, I'll break your legs."

"Is that how you Americans handle things?" he asked, comically horrified.

"Yep," she responded simply.

"Well… fine," he said, standing up straight. "I like my legs, I need them for Quidditch."

"What's Quidditch?"

Sirius and James stared at her as though she had grown a third arm. She shrugged.

"Hello!" she said sarcastically. "Muggle!"

"This will not stand," James said dramatically. "Sirius, I'm going to the kitchens. You know what to do."

"Take the map," Sirius said solemnly, holding out what looked like an old piece of parchment.

James held up his hand and shook his head regally.

"Your need is greater than mine. Or, her need is. If I don't make it… go on without me."

They clasped each other's shoulders and James walked down the hallway with rigid purpose. Aliyah fought to keep the laughter out of her voice, and failed.

"What was that all about?"

"Come on," Sirius said, jerking his head for her to follow him. "Time to show you what the Wizarding World is really all about."

oOoOo

Author's Note: Yep, Aliyah pulled the race card. I figured, as a Muggle, it was the best way she could relate to the whole anti-Muggle thing. She doesn't get the whole Purebloods vs. Mudbloods issue, but she gets people vs. people for something no one can help.

Again, the timeline on all this is fuzzy, so just roll with it! Review and all that jazz.


	5. AWHFB Chapter Five

"Where are we going?" Aliyah asked as Sirius led her through the deserted corridors.

"To the Quidditch pitch," he answered, slipping behind a tapestry and down a set of narrow stairs. "Watch out, trick step."

Aliyah stepped carefully over the step he pointed at and waited as he pushed open a section of wall, poking his head out to make sure no one was in sight. He stepped out and she followed, hurrying across the Entrance Hall past the open doors of the Great Hall where they could hear students talking loudly while they ate. He pushed open the great oak doors and they slipped outside, hurrying down the front steps and towards the stadium she'd seen before. The sun was low in the sky but still shining brightly across the empty grounds. In the distance, she could see a cabin near the Forbidden Forest.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"That's Hagrid's hut," Sirius answered, following her gaze. "He's the groundskeeper here. Part giant. You'll know him when you see him."

They reached the Quidditch pitch and Sirius walked out onto the field, looking around with mild fondness. Aliyah looked up at the golden hoops and the seats far above and let out a low whistle.

"Why is everything so high?" she asked, squinting up at the hoops.

"Because this is a flying sport," Sirius answered, putting his hands in his pockets. "We fly on broomsticks."

Aliyah laughed and Sirius cocked an eyebrow at her. He raised his wand.

"Accio Comet," he said with a flick of his wand.

Aliyah waited, but nothing happened.

"Nice spell," she said dryly.

He held up a finger and she fell silent. After a moment, she heard something zipping through the air and watched as Sirius reached out just in time to grab a broomstick that had apparently been flying right at him. She gawked at it and he smirked, holding it up for her to see. The handle was a dark, shining wood and the broom end, once straight and neat, was now a bit frayed from use, though clearly well taken care of. 'Comet' was written across the handle in rolling, green script. She stepped closer to him and put her hand on the wood, feeling its smoothness.

"You fly on this?" she asked wonderingly. "How?"

Sirius stepped back and put his leg over the handle so he was straddling it. He kicked off the ground and flew straight up into the air, his school robes billowing out behind him. He turned and shot forward around the edge of the stadium, and Aliyah walked out into the center of the field, turning to watch as he completed the lap. He arced back down and landed lightly next to her.

"That's amazing!" she gushed, unable to contain her excitement. "Muggles have been trying to fly for centuries, and here you just hop on a stick and go."

Sirius smiled for the first time since she'd seen him, and the effect was almost mesmerizing. His eyes were bright and his long hair was slightly windswept, falling past his flushed cheeks. But his smile…

"White?"

She blinked.

"What?" she asked obliviously.

"I said do you want to try?" he asked, gesturing to the broom he still straddled.

She gasped.

"Can I?!"

He smiled again and pushed the broom back so there was enough room behind him. She swung her leg over and tucked her skirt underneath her so it wouldn't fly up. Sirius glanced at her over his shoulder.

"No sidesaddle?" he asked with a smirk.

"Nah," she said dismissively. "I'd fall."

He shrugged.

"Put your arms around me."

She did as instructed, wrapping her arms securely around his waist.

"Ready?"

"Just go, damn it!"

Laughing, he kicked off again, more gently this time, and she gasped as the ground fell away. She pressed herself against his back, and gaped down as they climbed higher. He leaned slightly and the broom responded, moving forward at a slow pace as they passed around three of the golden hoops.

"Go faster!" she urged him, and he leaned forward over the handle, pulling her with him.

They shot forward, the seats in the stands flying by. She laughed loudly, the feeling of elation almost alien to her. Sirius pulled to the center of the arena and pulled back slightly on the handle, slowing them to a stop. Aliyah looked all around, amazed at how high they were—at least sixty feet off the ground.

"I take it you like it?" Sirius asked wryly.

"This is really amazing," she said breathlessly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, turning to watch the sun inch closer to the mountains in the distance.

She watched him for a minute, seeing his face turn golden in the sun's late rays.

"So what did you mean?" she asked abruptly.

He frowned over his shoulder at her.

"I'm sorry?"

"You said my being here was a terrible idea. What did you mean?"

Sirius gave a noncommittal shrug.

"I just meant… it's a bad idea to bring Muggles here. Muggle-born wizards and witches are having a hard enough time as it is. Bringing a Muggle here just seems stupid. You could get hurt. You can't use magic, and you can't protect yourself from magic."

Aliyah looked down at the ground, her brow furrowed.

"Do you still think it's a stupid idea?" she asked bluntly. "That I shouldn't be here?"

Sirius was silent for a moment before he answered.

"Yes. Especially after today."

She nodded, bothered more by his answer than she cared to admit.

"James is here, let's go down," she said shortly.

Sirius hesitated, opening his mouth as if to say something, but he nodded and tilted the broom to arc down towards the figure walking onto the field. They second they landed, she swung her leg over the broom, walking away toward James with a bright smile despite her clenched stomach. She raised her eyebrows at his armful of bottles and wrapped food and the broomstick tucked precariously beneath his arm.

"Think you brought enough?" she teased as he carefully set it all on the ground.

He straightened and shrugged.

"If not, I'll just get more," he said lightly.

He glanced past her to Sirius with a wide, fake smile.

"I just wanted to thank you for summoning your broom while I was carrying it down the front steps," he said happily. "If anything has grass on it, you're more than welcome to it."

"Sorry, mate," Sirius grunted, laying his broom near James'.

James glanced back over his shoulder and leaned closer to Sirius.

"I couldn't stop her," he whispered quickly. "She saw me walking out and she followed me—"

"Sirius!" a girl said in a loud, sing-song voice as she walked onto the pitch.

She had bouncing brown, shoulder-length curls that framed a pretty, if heavily made-up, face. Her uniform's skirt had clearly been rolled to show more leg, and her shoes had more height than was functionally necessary. Aliyah had to give it to the girl—she knew how to swing her hips.

The girl rushed right past James and Aliyah, her light brown eyes bright as she smiled wickedly at Sirius. She walked up close to him, placing a hand on his chest with intimate familiarity.

"A whole day's passed and you haven't even come to say hi to me," she said with a pout, her slight French accent giving a lilt to her speech.

Aliyah turned away and found James doing the same, giving her a grin as if nothing had happened.

"So, ready to learn about the greatest sport known to Wizardkind?" he asked eagerly.

She returned his grin and sat on the ground, reaching for one of the wrapped packages of food.

"Teach away," she replied.

He sat across from her and began teaching her the basic rules of Quidditch while they ate. Sirius sat next to them and the girl promptly settled herself right beside him, her thigh touching his. Aliyah found it hard to concentrate on James' instruction over the playful complaints of lack of attention and the gushing compliments on Sirius' long hair. After a few minutes of trying to talk over her, James finally gave up.

"Veronica," he said loudly as she was beginning another string of comments on the size of his arms, "how have you been this summer?"

Veronica hesitantly turned her attention away from Sirius and offered James a smile that didn't touch her eyes.

"It was fine," she said delicately.

"Have you met our new friend?" he asked with a nod at Aliyah.

Veronica's eyes flitted to her, and Aliyah could practically smell the judgment coming from her.

"No," she replied. "I haven't had the pleasure."

Aliyah could already see where this was going, and she wasn't interested. She held out her hand to the girl.

"Aliyah White," she introduced herself neutrally.

Veronica took her hand, almost suspiciously, and shook it lightly.

"Veronica Devereux," she replied.

"Nice to meet you," Aliyah said as genuinely as she could manage. "James was just about to teach me more about Quidditch. You play?"

"I haven't the talent," Veronica replied lightly. "I prefer my feet on the ground."

"Not me," Aliyah said with a grin at James. "Turns out flying on broomsticks might be my new favorite pastime."

"I thought Muggles couldn't fly," Veronica said with a frown.

"We can't," she said with regret. "But Sirius flew me around the stadium before you guys got here."

Veronica's eyebrows rose, and Aliyah realized she'd inadvertently marked what the girl clearly thought was her own territory. Sirius kept his eyes down on the roll he picked at.

"You should have him fly you around, too," she said to Veronica. "I'm sure James wouldn't object if we left you two alone."

The girl's expression changed from calculative to smug, and she leaned against Sirius.

"What do you say, love?" she asked in a sultry voice. "Fly me around for a bit?"

"I'm eating right now," Sirius said dismissively. "But you're welcome to use my broom."

Aliyah and James quickly avoided looking at Veronica's disappointed expression, and James launched into a continuation of his Quidditch lecture. Veronica was quieter, but no less determined to capture Sirius' attention with her affectionate caresses and tickles, which he thoroughly ignored. After much of the food had been eaten, James dusted his hands and stood.

"You ready for a quick fly?" he asked Aliyah.

"Again?" she asked with surprise.

"You flew with Sirius, which I'm sure was all charming or romantic or whatever," he said, lifting his broom and ignoring the dark glance Veronica threw his way, "but now you're going to fly with a real Quidditch player. Gryffindor Seeker, at your service."

He got on his broom and made room for her the same way Sirius had. Excited, she jumped up and threw her leg over his broom, tucking her skirt in again before wrapping her arms around his middle.

"Hold on tight," he warned. "Sirius has got an old Comet, I've got a newer model."

Sirius held up a rude gesture to James who laughed and kicked off the ground. Aliyah gasped at the speed as they suddenly whipped to the side, zipping through the air faster than she would've thought possible. He zig-zagged through the goal posts before climbing high into the air, so high that Aliyah's stomach tingled when she looked down. Then he crushed himself against the handle and they shot straight down, the ground approaching so fast that she thought they would surely crash. He pulled up at the last second and they flew around the stadium, close to the ground. Then they both heard a sound that echoed across the field.

"POTTER!"

"Oh, no," she heard James mutter before he turned the broom and coasted to the center of the stadium where a very angry Lily was standing with her hands on her hips. "It's always bad when she uses my last name," he said in a low voice as they reached her.

He floated slightly over her head and suddenly barrel-rolled so that they were hanging upside-down, James' face right near Lily's. Aliyah laughed, holding as tightly as she could to him, her legs like a vise on the broom and her skirt barely staying in place where she'd tucked it.

"Hey, beautiful," James said with a grin that made Lily's scowl deepen.

"Are you mad?" she demanded angrily. "Brooms aren't made for two people with that kind of flying! She could have fallen off!"

James winced.

"She's never flown before," he said with a pleading whine. "I thought she should get to experience it at least once…"

"You turn her right-side-up, James Potter, before her skirt flies up," she said threateningly, "or I'll see to it you get a week's worth of detention!"

"Kiss me first."

"No."

"Kiss meeee."

"Now, James!"

"Give me a kiss, first!" he insisted, wiggling the broom back and forth so that Aliyah laughed harder as she tried to hold on.

"Fine!" Lily snapped, though a slight twitch of her lips betrayed her.

She kissed him lightly then stepped back, jabbing her finger at the ground. James slowly rolled the broom back over and lowered them to the ground. Aliyah climbed off, her hands shaking slightly from exertion and adrenaline as she brushed her hair out of her face.

"That was so much fun!" she exclaimed as Lily gave her a once-over, possibly checking for injuries.

"That's what real flying is," James said smugly, draping an arm over Lily's shoulder.

"That was reckless flying," commented Sirius, who Aliyah realized was standing near them, Veronica hanging on his arm.

James looked over at him, the smile still on his lips, but a calculating expression in his eyes.

"Don't see why it matters to you, mate," he said conversationally. "I've been reckless since day one."

"Yes, on your own," agreed Sirius. "But there's enough things in this school threatening her safety. I figured you might want to be a bit more careful."

"What are you on about?" James asked, lifting his arm from Lily's shoulders and folding his arms across his chest. "You seem to have a girlfriend of your own. And since you're not White's mum, I don't see why you should be so concerned."

"Devereux's not my girlfriend," Sirius responded coolly, oblivious to the wounded expression on Veronica's face. "And I figure someone should be watching out for the Muggle."

Aliyah instantly turned on her heel and made her way out of the stadium, marching angrily through the entrance and starting across the grounds toward the castle. She heard footsteps running to catch up and someone grabbed her arm. She turned to see Sirius looking down at her angrily.

"Why the hell did you leave?" he demanded. "I was making a point for your safety and you just—"

The resounding slap as her hand connected with the side of his face echoed lightly across the grounds. Sirius turned his head back to look at her, his eyes wide as his cheek quickly flushed an angry red.

"I don't know what makes me angrier," she said derisively, "the fact that you say the things you do, or the fact that you have no idea why they upset me."

He shook his head dazedly.

"I don't—"

"I'm just a Muggle to you," she said in a raised voice. "I'm not a friend, or a fellow student, or anything else. I'm just 'the Muggle'. Don't you see how that's insulting? No, don't answer that. Of course you don't see. Because clearly, despite the fact that you've written off your Muggle-hating family, you've got more in common with them than you think."

They stared at each other for a long, silent moment, until Aliyah became aware of the light prickling in her eyes. She turned away quickly and stalked up the hill to the castle. He didn't follow her.

oOoOo

"She was way out of line."

"Mm-hmm."

"No clue what she was on about."

"Yup."

"Obviously, she's completely mad."

"Mmm."

Sirius lifted the schoolbook on the table next to him and chucked it angrily toward James, striking the scroll he had across his lap and smearing several of the freshly-inked lines he'd written.

"If you're going to pretend to humor me, at least try a little."

"I don't know what you want me to say, mate," James said with a sigh as he tried to clean the smears with his wand. "If you ask me, I think someone should've slapped some sense into you sooner."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Sirius snapped.

"Meaning you're easily distracted by girls," James explained patiently. "I leave you alone with White for one minute, and you're flying her around on your broom. Then you've got Devereux hanging all over you like she's a growth you can't cut off. Then you get all weird and protective of White and say Devereux's not your girl. Then you call White 'the Muggle'. It's no wonder she slapped you."

Sirius threw up his hands.

"I thought White would like a ride around the stadium," he said defensively. "I don't see what was wrong with that. And I don't see what's wrong with Devereux, it's no different than it was last year."

"Yeah, I remember last year," James said, making a face. "You all but molested each other in public."

"And?" Sirius asked pointedly. "I'm single. Aren't I entitled to have a romp with whoever I want?"

"Have a romp with whoever you like," James replied loudly, throwing up his hands. "Just don't make White think you want more than that."

"I never implied—"

"How many girls have you taken for a ride on your Comet?" James asked. When Sirius didn't reply, he continued, "Exactly. That's not your hook-up routine. You stepped away from raunchy and moved toward romantic. Couple that with showing interest in someone else, and you've got one angry girl."

"I wasn't being romantic," Sirius muttered, shifting uncomfortably. "I was just trying to be nice."

"Then keep it clear," James said with a sigh. "Though I look forward to the day when you actually have a girl with brains that you're, say, exclusive with—I know, foreign concept—I don't think you're ready for that day yet. So do us all a favor, since White's becoming part of our circle, now. Keep your paws off her."

Sirius sucked on his teeth.

"Dog joke?"

"Dog joke."

"Right."

oOoOo

Aliyah held up one of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, a dark brown one, from the pile scattered across her bed.

"Exactly how far do they take these flavors?" she asked skeptically. "I mean, what are the odds this is a crap-flavored one?"

"Fairly decent," Lily replied from her own bed, bending over the large book she had on her lap.

Aliyah immediately dropped the offensive candy and grabbed a plain white one. She popped it into her mouth and chewed before making a dubious face.

"Tastes like plastic," she said with distaste.

"I've gotten that one before," Lily said as she turned a page.

"Why make candy that you're not sure whether or not it will scar you for life?" Aliyah asked, forcing herself to swallow the bean.

"The adventure of it, I suppose," Lily said thoughtfully before closing her book and turning to look at Aliyah with purpose. "So you slapped Sirius earlier. What was that like?"

"Immensely satisfying," she responded with a sigh before casting Lily a guilty glance. "I'm sorry, I know he's your friend."

"He is," Lily said with a nod, "but so are you. So I want to give you some advice."

Aliyah sat up, folding her hands in her lap and waiting expectantly.

"Sirius likes girls," Lily stated bluntly. "He always has, and I expect he always will. Veronica was last year's conquest, and she wasn't the only one. She's just the only one that still thinks she can continue to keep his attention."

"Wow," Aliyah commented dryly. "Short and to the point. Continue."

Lily smiled slightly.

"I know he flew you around the stadium earlier, and he's been acting odd around you lately, but I wouldn't put much thought into it," she said kindly. "He's a good friend, he really is. And I don't have any business telling you what to do, just… don't expect much in the way of a relationship, okay?"

"Don't worry," Aliyah said, holding up her hands. "No expectations. Sirius and I have nothing in common. I'm not even sure how we're going to be friends. But I adore you guys, and he's part of all of you. I'll play nice. But," she added, a wicked gleam in her eye, "I'm not promising I won't make out with at least one wizard before I go."

With a wink, she popped a cream-colored bean into her mouth and promptly spat it back out.

"Raw garlic…"

"Eww."


End file.
